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~ ~ • Paris River Fish Monitoring Annual Report summer temperature and year round high turbidity keep this species from invading the Paris. Rainbow trout are predators of larval fishes (Mazsh and Douglas 1997) and no small flannelmouth suckers have been captured in the Colorado River below the Paris (Arizona Game and Fish Department 1996a). It is hypothesized that this is because cold-shocked larvae are being consumed by rainbow trout, although no data has substantiated this. Conclusion • The Paris River fish community remains limited to flannelmouth sucker, speckled dace and the few uncommon species that are captured only in or near its mouth. Both flannelmouth sucker and speckled dace continue to spawn in the Paris, with only speckled dace successfully recruiting in 1998. However, flannelmouth sucker are along-lived species (Hinckley 1991) that probably does not require annual recruitment to maintain a healthy population. Continued monitoring and, possibly, management actions will be necessary to ensure that the fishes of this dynamic stream are maintaining themselves. Recommendations I believe that the protocols used in this monitoring/reseazch should be evaluated to ensure that the data are being effectively and efficiently collected. For example, Data collected prior to 1998 was collected whenever time permitted. The monthly sampling scheme implemented in ~ 1998 is an effort to ensure that sampling is conducted during all periods of the year. It is expected that following the 1999 field season, the monitoring schedule will be reduced to spring, summer and fall, with more intensive sampling to be continued during the spring spawning period. However, any changes made to this protocol must be comparable with data collected from previous years. The following are some suggested changes for 1999 that will provide additional information, but will be compatible with previous data. 1 -Continue sampling the Paris River monthly, except from 1 April through 3 June, when trips should be conducted at least biweekly to better document spawning time and presence of YOY • 22 Arizam (}mne Bt Fish Deportment Hotrmgk 1999, Paris River 1998 Amoral Report